New In Ky

[Fiddlegirl89]

Hi...I'm new here! I just wrote an "About Me" on my profile, so I'll just paste it here!

I'm Kayla, a 21 year old farmgirl. I was homeschooled all the way through, graduating in 2006. I live at home with my parents, married 22 years, and my 3 younger brothers, ages 18, 11, and 9. I work from home, making leather dog leashes. I've been braiding leather for a few years (somewhere around 6) and I've made a couple of bullwhips, a few belts, a few instrument straps, and other small items...bolo ties, keychains, etc.

I love bluegrass music, and I play fiddle, guitar, and a little mandolin. I love to cook, and make most of my family's meals. I design and sew clothes, knit, crochet...I have many varied interests! I love cows, and bought my own Jersey this past year. I've hand-milked as many as 3 cows, twice a day, and could get 1 1/2 gallons in 3 1/2 minutes...that's my fun fact that always amazes everyone...lol!

And I guess that's it about me...pretty cut and dry!

My granddad told me about this site (he loves the holsters,) and I look forward to learning a lot here! I've never seen such a well-organized wealth of information in one place!

[CowboyBob]

Well you found a great site to learn from here & it sounds like your hands are plenty strong enough to do alot of hand sewing!

Bob

[EricDobson]

Welcome Kayla! I also play a bit of music, and have heard some pretty incredible bluegrass guitar players. It's amazing to hear someone who's mastered the style.

It'd be great if you could post some examples of the work you've already done. Are there any particular areas you're hoping to learn more about?

[TwinOaks]

Welcome to Leatherworker.net! We're glad you happened across this corner of the internet.

Thanks for telling us a bit about you, and we'd love to see some pics of your work.

[abn]

Great intro!

[Ferg]

Hi...I'm new here! I just wrote an "About Me" on my profile, so I'll just paste it here!

I'm Kayla, a 21 year old farmgirl. I was homeschooled all the way through, graduating in 2006. I live at home with my parents, married 22 years, and my 3 younger brothers, ages 18, 11, and 9. I work from home, making leather dog leashes. I've been braiding leather for a few years (somewhere around 6) and I've made a couple of bullwhips, a few belts, a few instrument straps, and other small items...bolo ties, keychains, etc.

I love bluegrass music, and I play fiddle, guitar, and a little mandolin. I love to cook, and make most of my family's meals. I design and sew clothes, knit, crochet...I have many varied interests! I love cows, and bought my own Jersey this past year. I've hand-milked as many as 3 cows, twice a day, and could get 1 1/2 gallons in 3 1/2 minutes...that's my fun fact that always amazes everyone...lol!

And I guess that's it about me...pretty cut and dry!

My granddad told me about this site (he loves the holsters,) and I look forward to learning a lot here! I've never seen such a well-organized wealth of information in one place!

Welcome Kayla,

I grew up on a farm with most of the family staying with it. I had to laugh about the milking. My dad taught me to milk at the age of five years. He was milking 45 Guernsey's at the time, he cheated though, he used milkers I had to do it by hand. It is like riding a bike, you never forget how.

As others have said, "Show us some of your work".

BTW: I would also be glad to test some of your cookin-

ferg

[Fiddlegirl89]

Thanks, everyone! The only pictures I have access to right now (I'm not on my computer) are the ones of a banjo strap I made for my dad a while back. The pictures aren't very good, though. I need to get everything out for a photo shoot now!

You're welcome to my cooking anytime you want to stop by! I always have chocolate chip cookies made, and there's always fresh milk! (My dad's addicted!)

~Kayla

[joquarter]

Welcome , looking forward to see more of your work .

[compound]

Welcome on YOUR forum!

Leather and bluegrass is everything for me too

[Fiddlegirl89]

Ok, I found some pictures on my computer to post. Although, after seeing just a little of the work that folks on here do, I'm pretty intimidated! My stuff looks rather cheesy!!!

These are keychains I made, with calfskin lace...

A bolo tie...

Close-up of the knots on the tie...

Flat braided keychain...

I've made 2 bulllwhips, following the directions in one of Bruce Grant's books. This is the first one...

And the second one...I did the handle different on this one.

I also made this Bible case. I've never tooled anything, so I bought the pattern, traced it onto the leather, and "wood-burned" it. The case is 2 layers of leather, with a knitted piece inside for padding. I didn't sew it at all, but laced all of the edges with a decorative braided finish. I made this a few years ago, and it certainly has design flaws! If I did it over, I would change a few things! It fastens with snaps on the inside.

I've also woven a chair seat with leather...the idea is in one of Grant's books, but he uses rawhide. I had a friend make a chair frame for me, and I wove the leather seat. Actually, in exchange for the chair, I made him a 21-strand braided belt.

I made my brother a different 21 strand braided belt a couple of years ago, but he (and the belt) isn't home, and won't be for a few days. I still need to get pictures of a mandolin strap I made for myself...it's a crocodile ridge braid out of calfskin.

The leather on the banjo strap, the whips, and the chair seat I mentioned...I cut all of the lace for those from oil-tanned sides from Tandy. I really don't know much about leather, but I am learning more of that through my current job. I worked at a tack shop for a while last year and learned a lot there...how to cut leather for reins and bridles, and how to sew. I really loved doing that, but the shop go busy enough for them to need me there all the time, and I had other obligations. I'm really having to teach myself everythng as I go, and it would be so much easier to be able to work with pros!

A few years ago, I had an opportunity to be an apprentice with a Mr. Yancy in Flowery Branch, GA, making Paso Fino saddles. I've always wanted to learn about saddle making, and he said that I could come anytime, after I told him I taught myself to braid from Bruce Grant's book. That didn't work out, though...I was 16, and would have had to move across the state during the week and come home on weekends. I wasn't ready for that then, but I'm happy with my situation now, as far as my work with leather. I still think it would be neat to make saddles...

Guess that's enough for now!